Friday, January 20, 2012

Female Athletes Training At Baghdad University

Below are a few pictures of young Iraqi women training for track and field at Baghdad University. During the sectarian war some of these athletes and their coaches were threatened by Islamists. With that period over, they are now back at work.

Runner Zeina Arkan (AP)
Young girls getting some coaching before they begin a run around the track (AP)

And the racers are off (AP)
Runner Arkan again with her coach Yossef Reda (AP)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Al Mada (Iraqi local neswpaper):"
According to Al-Mada local newspaper, a state-run woman-related body has issued dictations on what is not allowed to be worn by female employees in government ministries and institutions"in Baghda's Kassakhon blog.
Every day Iran is likely to become more like Iran...Thanks Obama & Biden!

Joel Wing said...

There are definitely Islamist elements within the Iraqi government. The Sadrists obviously have tried to enforce dress codes on people since 2003. There are also parts of the Dawa Party that have tried to do similar things like banning alcohol, etc. That being said, it's because they are Islamists. Not because of Iran. Saudi Arabia is a Sunni country, but has strict restrictions on what women can do for instance, because of their interpretation of Islam.

Miss Pamb said...

Weren't women in Iraq able to dress like Westerners before the American invasion of Iraq? Will women ever be able to dress and assimilate in society like they had been previously? Are Iraqi women able to work as doctors and teachers and other professionals like they had been allowed to do before the war? Thanks in advance.

Joel Wing said...

Yes, women were able to wear Western dress in the 1970s and 1980s, and some became professionals. Some speculate that this occured because there was a labor shortage during the Iran-Iraq War. Today there are still women professionals. If you go back through the blog, there are a couple videos about the birth defects that are happening in Anbar and a couple women doctors are interviewed in them. There are also women members of parliament, etc.

Anonymous said...

Dear Sir,
have you ever been to the South of Iraq. I mean no during 2003/05 but after. And no like Emma Sky tourist trips...I mean have you ever try to remain one month -at least- living among Iraqi people, walking with them, suffering the lack of electricity in their houses, drinking chai and smoiking shisha inthe streets of Basra, Amara, Nassiriya, Muthanna?? As Iraqi I can tell you first hand that my daughters must take to much care dont call the attention (clothes, make up...wester music...) of our Iranian puppets here such us young saddrist, badder, fadhila and thier Iranian made mollahs.

Anonymous said...

Dear Madam, We are from the South of Iraq but living and working between Basrah and Baghdad.
My wife is wearing western clothes because she likes as my daughters likes to buy them when we can find in our markets, shops or when I travel to Jordan or Dubai. My wife is electrical engineer, my older daughter is doctor and my youngest would like to be a journalist (Tv). All speak Enlgish and can drive our cars. Unfortunately my wife and older daughter have left their job under threats by Shiia islamics in Baghdad and Basra.

Security In Iraq Mar 8-14, 2024

The Islamic State suddenly lurched back to life in Iraq during the second week of March carrying out the most attacks in ...